You Won't Be Alone
by FrankieG613
Summary: What if, when they find Steve alive in the ice in the 21st Century, he wasn't alone? Another Steve and Peggy happy ever after story, set in the time of the first Avenger's film! Steve and Peggy trying to navigate life together after waking up in a different century! Fluffiness will ensue! ON HIATUS (sorry)
1. Chapter 1

2011

Somewhere off the coast of Greenland

As the two SHIELD agents searched through what appeared to be some kind of oversized plane, the likes of which they had never seen, the Lieutenant couldn't help but get more and more excited with every step. He could feel it in his bones; they were about to find something important. He heard his partner speak, and turned to see a shield. The snow covering it was wiped away and he realized it was THE shield, the one lost many years ago. He radioed the base and told them to get the Colonel, and it sank in how important this discovery was.

* * *

New York City

Steve blinked, clearing the spots out of his eyes. His arms and legs felt heavy as he sat up, and he had a weird taste in his mouth. He looked around his room, and saw sunlight coming in from the windows. He could hear traffic outside the windows, and the radio in the corner was playing a ball game.

He listened to the game as he continued to look around the room, but he just felt himself getting more and more confused. Steve realized that the game seemed familiar because he had been there, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise as the door opened. A women dressed in a standard military uniform walked in, closing the door behind her.

Steve continued to listen to the game as she tried to convince him he was in New York City, but he couldn't see how that was possible. The last thing he remembered was Schmidt's plane hurtling toward the ground and… Peggy. He felt his heart break a little, and he hoped she was ok, wherever she was. He looked back at the woman, and knew something was wrong. Steve asked her where he really was and when she called to men with really big guns, his defensive instincts kicked in.

Before he knew it he was throwing the men against the wall, which gave out under their weight. He followed them into an open, empty room, and headed for the doors, looking for an escape. Steve made it to the street before he was stopped, although that was due more to the shock of what he was seeing rather than the black cars surrounding him. He heard a man behind him say, "At ease soldier," and he turned to see a tall man wearing all black with an eye patch.

* * *

Several hours later Steve was sitting in what he was told was a hospital, although it didn't look anything like he remembered hospitals looking like. He supposed he should expect that though, seeing as how he had been in that ice for almost 70 years. He rolled down his sleeve as the nurse finished drawing his blood and tried to focus on what Mr. Fury was telling him.

"I know you probably have a lot of questions, but we're going to spend the next few days running tests on you. We want to make sure you really are ok after spending so long asleep and then we'll see if we can't find something for you to do. Of course, we also need to find out who the other person on the ship is, but I'm sure-"

Steve interrupted, "What other person? There was no one else on the ship when I took it down."

Fury observed Steve for a few long moments, "Well, then let's go see who she is."

As Fury led him down the hall, Steve wasn't sure what to think. He felt his heart beating harder as they stopped in front of a door and Fury nodded for him to go in first.

He took a deep breath and opened the door. Walking in, his eyes were immediately drawn to the women lying in the bed, and the breath he had taken rushed out as he said, "Peggy?"


	2. Chapter 2

Steve sat at Peggy's bedside, holding her hand and looking at her beautiful face.

They were still trying to figure out how she had gotten on the plane and why she also looked the same as she had 70 years prior, but all Steve could worry about at that particular moment was if she was ever going to wake up. He had been awake for almost five days, but Peggy hadn't moved yet. She just lay there, pale and still, and as far as the doctors could tell she was perfectly healthy, just asleep.

So he sat, holding her hand and willing her to wake up, which was where he had been for most of his time over the last days. He only left when the doctors came to check on her or when a member of Fury's team came to get him for tests. Steve was just about ready to tell Fury enough with the tests; he didn't like needles as it was and he felt fine, great even.

Steve brought Peggy's hand to his lips, and just continued to look at her. The doctors told him to talk to her, that she could probably hear him, but he didn't know what to say. Among his frustrations at the moment was his inability to ever find the right words, because he knew if there was ever a time for them, it was now. So he looked, and he held on.

He had been sitting with her for a few hours, wondering what had happened after the plane crash all those years ago when the doctor came in. Steve smiled at the woman and stood up. Deciding he would just call it a night and leave, he looked at Peggy one more time. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, and quietly said the only thing he could think of, "You still owe me that dance," before kissing her forehead one more time.

Steve stood and turned, smiling at the doctor again before he started walking out. He was just opening the door when he heard mumbling from near the bed. He turned back, thinking the doctor had said something and saw her still standing just inside the door.

Both Steve and the doctor rushed over to the bed as Peggy mumbled again. Steve wanted to laugh, seeing Peggy's brow furrow, like he remembered it doing when she was angry or concentrating. The laughter quickly dried up as she opened her eyes, and Steve finally saw those gorgeous eyes looking back at him.

Peggy was so confused. She opened her eyes and saw a white, dingy room. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her fuzzy brain. She tried to speak, wanting to know where she was, but nothing would come out. Her limbs felt heavy, and she was disoriented, but then she looked up and saw… Steve.

But… that couldn't be right. Peggy distinctly remembered Steve crashing Schmidt's plane. Howard hadn't been able to find him, and she had tried to move on…

Steve saw confusion in Peggy's eyes, so he sat back down and grabbed her hand once again. He smiled, the smile he reserved just for her, before he spoke. "Peggy, its me."

Peggy saw Steve sit down next to her. She was beginning to suspect he was just a Steve lookalike, but then he grabbed her hand, and she felt that same electricity she had felt the time she kissed him. He spoke, and tears gathered in her eyes as she started to believe her hero had come back to her. "Steve, is that really you? But… how? What happened? What the hell is going on?"

Steve saw that Peggy was getting agitated, and he kissed the back of her hand again, trying to calm her. It stopped her tirade, and they just sat looking at each other.

"I know you have a lot of questions, Peggy, but the only thing that's important right now is that you're ok. This lady right here is your doctor, and she's going to take a look at you and make sure everything is ok."

Peggy nodded, and held onto Steve's hand as he stood and tried to pull away. Steve smiled at her, "I'm just going to go out into the hallway to give you some privacy."

Peggy held on tighter, "Just… give me a minute ok? Don't let go." Steve smiled at her as he sat back down, and he nodded at the doctor while she started asking Peggy questions about how she felt. Peggy answered that she felt ok, she was a little tired, and she was hungry. As the doctor finished up and left, saying she would come back in a few minutes.

Steve saw the look of confusion deepen on Peggy's face, so he asked what was wrong.

"I just… where are we? Since when are women doctors? I didn't think…"

Steve took a deep breath. "We're in New York City. And women have been doctors, from what I understand, for a few decades."

"Decades? How is that possible…"

Steve cleared his throat as he tried to prepare himself for her reaction. "Well, Peg, we were in that ice for kind of a long time."

Peggy looked at him, eyes wide and curiosity peaked. "It can't have been that long though. We both look exactly the same as we did in 1945."

"Um… well…"

"How long, Steve? What year is it?" Peggy asked, impatient.

"Its 2011. We were asleep for almost 70 years."


	3. Chapter 3

"You're late."

Steve smiled with his back to her as he hung up his jacket in Peggy's hospital room. "I told you I would be back by 10."

Peggy raised her eyebrow at him as she looked at the clock. She saw it was 15 minutes past, and turned back to him with both eyebrows raised.

Steve looked just a little bit sheepish as he smiled and sat down next to her, "ok, fine, I'm late. But I brought you tea, so that should count for something." He handed her the paper cup and leaned back in his chair as she took a sip.

"Thank you."

They both sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knew quite what to say. The day before when Steve told Peggy that they were now living in 2011, all she had said was, "Oh."

The doctor had chosen that moment to come back in, and Peggy had dropped Steve's hand when the doctor asked him to leave. She hadn't wanted to see him again after the doctor left, and Steve wasn't sure how he should feel.

Still, he remembered the feeling of shock when he'd been told they were now living the 21st century, so he tried not to be worried about her reaction. "How do you feel today?"

Peggy took another sip of her tea, which was excellent and shrugged. "Alright, I think. It's quite a surprise, to wake up in another century."

Steve nodded in understanding. She took another sip of tea. "This is exceptional tea though, so I guess there are some benefits to sleeping for 70 years. Where is it from?"

"There's a shop downstairs. They sell all kinds of coffee and other drinks. It's called Starbucks."

"What on earth is a Starbuck?"

Steve smiled and shook his head. "I'm not sure, but apparently it's a very popular place to get coffee."

Peggy made a hum of agreement and looked at her cup for a few moments before looking back at Steve. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel great. Still a little confused about what happened, and all that, but I'm good."

"Good." Peggy looked down again, and they were suddenly awkward, unsure of how to act around each other.

Steve broke the silence. "So, what happened after I crashed?"

A pained look crossed Peggy's face before she cleared her throat and looked back at Steve. "Um, well we won the war. The victory wasn't quite as sweet without… And then I went to work for the SSR in, well here I guess, in New York City." Steve looked impressed. "Yes, it was quite an adventure in filing, but then Howard got himself into a whole mess of trouble."

Steve laughed. "It sounds like him. Then what happened?"

"Well, let's see. We caught an evil Russian psychiatrist, and hypnotist, who was working for a rogue organization."

"The Red Skull?"

"No, Leviathan. After the war, after you… uh, the Red Skull ceased to exist. So, we managed to capture Doctor Ivchenko, and get back all of the weapons that Leviathan had stolen from Howard and then…" Peggy trailed off, lost in thought.

"Peggy? And then what?"

Peggy took a deep breath. "And then I poured the remaining vial of your blood off the Brooklyn Bridge, and moved on."

Peggy watched as her words sank in, and saw the small smile that was almost always on Steve's face disappear. She scrambled to finish her story before he got upset.

"Or, at least, I thought I had moved on. But when Howard told me a few months later that he was going to go look for you again, I jumped at the chance to join him. He had gone looking right after the crash, but he didn't find… Anyways, we went looking for you again."

"And you found me? Is that how you ended up on the ship with me?"

Peggy looked at Steve. "I'm not entirely sure. I remember that we went out looking for you. We found a part of the ship, just some debris, but I didn't want to give up. I remember that I thought I had seen the body of the ship, and when I started walking toward it, a snowstorm rushed in. I couldn't see anything, so I just kept walking toward what I thought I had seen. I guess I made it all the way though, because the next thing I remember is waking up yesterday."

Steve nodded as she told him the story. He leaned forward and took the hand lying closest to him. "You made it. They told me you were lying right next to me, and it looked like, at some point, you were holding my hand."

Peggy smiled at the image and looked into Steve's eyes. He smiled back at her and looked at their joined hands. He felt her squeeze his hand and he looked back up at her. Peggy smiled and jogged the hand she held, "Tell me what you're thinking."

Steve took a moment and then said, "I'm just, still, amazed by you. I can't believe you would go looking for me, except that I can believe that because you're… you. You're strong and brave-"

"I'm not that brave." Peggy interrupted. "I just… I lived without you for a while, and it was… different. Every day was a struggle to stay strong though, not to mention happy and I knew I would regret it if I didn't at least try to find you. Besides, I promised you that you wouldn't be alone."

She watched as a giant smile lit up Steve's face. She couldn't help but smile back and run her thumb over the back of his hand. When he stood and leaned close to her, Peggy's smile softened, and when he pressed his lips to her, she sighed, melting into the kiss. He cupped her cheek with his free hand, and she placed her hand on the back of his as they both held the kiss, relishing the feeling. Steve tilted his head changing the angle of the kiss, deepening it and they both clung to each other. Peggy remembered the brief kiss they had shared in the chaos of war, and she couldn't help but be grateful they had a chance to repeat the experience as she felt his lips, warm and passionate against her own.

Steve pulled back smiling, and just looked at her for a minute. He leaned in to kiss her again, and stood abruptly when the door opened. He turned and blushed when he saw Fury, and slowly let go of the hand he still held.

Fury walked into the room and smiled at Steve and Peggy. "Well, now that you're both awake, I guess we can figure out what we're going to do with you."


	4. Chapter 4

Peggy had just finished getting dressed when she heard a knock on the door. She smiled and checked her reflection in the mirror one more time before going to answer it.

It had been a month since Peggy woke up in the hospital after spending 70 years asleep in the ice. She had spent a week in the hospital being poked and prodded in between visits with Steve. Nick Fury had come to visit her a few times and although she was still not entirely convinced he could be trusted, she had an odd respect for the man. He had taken care of her and Steve's living arrangements and Peggy was grateful that he seemed to be trying to help. She was woman enough to admit that even after a month she still found the 21st century overwhelming, so even though Peggy was still wary of Fury, she found it helpful to have someone watching out for her.

She opened her front door and saw Steve, holding a bouquet of flowers and looking so handsome. Seeing him, Peggy couldn't help but smile. "Hi, Steve."

Steve smiled back and held out the flowers. "Hi, beautiful. These are for you."

Peggy took the flowers and brought them to her face, smelling them as she looked at Steve. She opened the door a little wider for him. "Come on in, I just have to grab my coat." She heard Steve follow as she turned and walked back in to her apartment. Peggy took the flowers into the kitchen and looked around for a vase. She had looked through a few cupboards when Steve walked in. He saw her looking and wanting to be helpful, started at the opposite end, opening cupboard doors and looking around.

Peggy let out a small sound of victory when she finally saw a vase on the top shelf of the cupboard. She reached up to get it and discovered it was just out of her reach.

Steve saw that Peggy wasn't quite able to reach the top shelf, so he stepped closer and reached up to get it for her. Peggy saw Steve's hand grab the vase and felt her breath catch as she realized he was pressed against her. They both froze at the contact, and Peggy wasn't quite sure what to do as Steve lowered his arm and took a step back. She took a deep breath, composing herself before she turned to look at Steve.

Peggy turned and realized Steve had taken a small step back, a very small step, and she found herself looking into his crystal blues eyes.

He had only meant to help her when he had reached up for the vase. But now, standing so close to Peggy and looking into her eyes, Steve thanked his good manners before he leaned in and pressed his lips to Peggy's.

Peggy had closed her eyes as Steve leaned in, and she felt his lips settle, warm on hers a moment later. She felt his hands close, strong and sure on her hips, and raised her hands to his shoulders. Steve felt Peggy's hands grip his shoulders, holding him to the kiss when he would have stepped away, before they moved to his hair.

She threaded her fingers through his hair as she changed the angle of the kiss, deepening it, before she pulled him closer to her. He gladly settled his body against hers and kissed her back, wrapping his arms tight around her waist and savoring the feeling of having her in his arms.

Steve felt himself get lost in the kiss and reveled in the heat of her body against his and the passion he could taste on her lips. He held her close, and enjoyed her mouth for another moment before he pulled back. They stood in each other's arms, looking at each other as they tried to catch their breath. Steve felt a smile of pure happiness cross his face before he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers for a brief kiss before dropping his arms and taking a step back. He cleared his throat and straightened his jacket as Peggy turned back to the counter and filled up the vase before putting the flowers in.

She put them on the counter and turned back and saw Steve watching her, looking happier than she had ever seen. She looked her question and saw Steve's smile deepen before he said, "Are you ready to go?"

They left a few minutes later after Peggy had freshened her lipstick and Steve had helped her on with her jacket.

* * *

Steve shouldn't have been surprised that he and Peggy had so much to talk about. Their time together before had been spent in the shadow of war and so neither of them had been able to take time to enjoy those moments. But now, sitting across from each other in a quiet, dark restaurant, they did nothing but enjoy each other and the time they spent together.

They had seen each other nearly every day since Peggy had woken up. After he kissed her that first time in the hospital, they knew that whatever they were in for, they would try to do it together. Peggy had had a lot to tell him about her job at the SSR and the adventures she had gone without him, and he always marveled at her strength and power of will as he listened.

The 21st century was still a little alarming to the both of them, but they were taking it in stride. Steve had his notebook and was constantly writing things down that they had to check out. Peggy was content to follows Steve's lead in that arena, and they enjoyed exploring New York together, seeing everything that had changed during their sleep.

For the most part, Peggy was really enjoying 2011. She and Steve had been working at SHIELD a little bit every day for the past few weeks, and not once had she been asked to file anything. She also found that she rather liked the bright colors and different outfits that women wore, although she wasn't sure she would ever feel comfortable in those pants they called jeans. The material felt scratchy and she was a little embarrassed at how tight they felt across her rear. Added to that, some of these girls she saw on the street wore their jeans so short that she could almost see their… well.

She could also appreciate the ease in which things were accomplished. When she noticed the state of her nails about a week after she woke up, she had nearly had a heart attack seeing them so cracked and ugly. But one of the nurses had just taken her down the street and a lady had painted them for her, just like that and Peggy marveled at the efficiency of it all.

Steve on the other hand, was not enjoying it as much. Everything was so loud, not that Brooklyn was quiet before, but it just seemed to him that the world had gotten a lot more busy in the last 70 years. Now, everyone had these cell phone things and they were constantly talking to someone on them, or staring blankly at the screen, looking at who knows what. One of the younger agents at SHIELD had shown him his cell phone, something called a smart phone, and Steve just didn't get it. He felt like he would break the thing, just holding it in his hand, and he didn't understand the need for constant contact. But then there were moments when he couldn't wait to talk to Peggy, to tell her something he saw or learned that day, and it started to make sense to him.

Steve laughed at the story Peggy was telling him about how some of the girls at SHIELD were teaching her about the music of the 21st century. They listened to music on these tiny devices called iPods, and you put these little speaker things in your ears. Peggy wasn't quite sure how that all worked, but the music they played now was loud and about things neither of them understood. She was telling Steve about a girl named Katy Perry, who wanted everyone to be like a firework. Steve laughed and told her about a song that was about being lazy and wanting to lie in the sun all day.

They finished their food and Steve was frantically trying to come up with something else for them to do as the waiter brought the check. He never wanted their dates to end, and this was no exception, but he was almost out of ideas.

He was just about to ask her if she wanted to do anything when he saw her look over at the bar and freeze. Steve looked over, and saw… Howard…? No that can't be… Steve looked closer and saw the man was just a little taller, and he was a little more energetic than Howard, but then Steve saw the man put his arms around the two women standing next to him and Steve couldn't help but think that the man had to at least be related to Howard somehow. Steve looked back at Peggy and saw she had relaxed, looking relieved that the man wasn't actually Howard. She gave him a small smile, "Sorry, I thought I saw… Um, are you ready to go?"

Steve nodded in understanding, and stood up, grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair and helping her into it. Although she had suddenly become a little sullen, she gave him a bright smile when he helped her pull her hair out of her collar. He cleared his throat and grabbed his own jacket. "I know it's a little late, but do you want to go somewhere?"

Peggy thought for a moment. "Did you have somewhere in mind?"

Steve grabbed her hand as they walked out onto the street. He raised his hand other to hail a taxi and turned back to her when one pulled up. "Not really, but…"

Peggy searched Steve's eyes as he paused, trying to read what he was feeling. "But what?"

Steve smiled and brushed his lips against hers. "I'm just not ready for the night to end."

Peggy kissed him and smiled up at him. "I'm not ready for it to end either. But, I have an early meeting with Fury in the morning, so I should probably…"

Steve nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. "Yeah, of course. I'll take you home."

He followed her into the cab, giving the driver her address and taking her hand again. They were silent during the drive, both lost in their thoughts, and before they knew it the cab stopped. Steve had been intending to have the cab wait for him as he walked to the front of the building, but before he could say anything Peggy turned to him. "Walk me to my front door?"

Steve nodded and paid the driver and then climbed out, holding the door as Peggy stepped out. She slipped her hand into his and they walked into her building together.

They stepped out of the elevator and walked to her front door. They lingered at her door for a minute before Steve leaned down to kiss her. She put her hand on his chest to stop him before she spoke. "I don't want to seem forward, but I was thinking… do you want to come in? You still owe me that dance, after all…"

Steve smiled at her words. On their first date he had taken her to a club that one of the nurses had recommended. They walked into the club and were immediately assailed by loud music and sweaty bodies. The music was loud and the dancing was… they couldn't get out of there fast enough. Luckily, they had both found it highly amusing and had spent several minutes on the street outside of the club laughing. Steve had then hailed a cab and taken her for ice cream and everything had ended well.

But they hadn't gotten that dance.

Standing at her door and looking at Peggy, Steve wanted nothing more than to go into her apartment and hold her in his arms. "What about your early morning?"

Steve saw hurt flash briefly in Peggy's eyes and he knew it had been the wrong thing to say. She looked down at the keys she was holding and fiddled with them for a moment before she saw Steve's hands close over hers. Peggy brought her head and looked right into Steve's eyes. He smiled and said, "I still don't know how to dance. I wouldn't want to step on your toes."

Peggy smiled and unlocked her door, opening it as she took his hand. "Well then its past time you learned."

* * *

The next morning Peggy was waiting to see Fury outside his office. It seemed the Director ran on his own schedule, and she was trying to be patient as he kept her waiting. A slow smile crept over her face as she thought about the night before when she had asked Steve to come in. They had pushed the couch back and moved the coffee table, and she used her new iPod to play music one of the SHIELD girls had found for her.

She was trying her damnedest not to blush as she remembered how Steve's body felt against hers as they slowly revolved around her living room, with "It's been a long, long time," by Willie Smith and Kitty Kallen on repeat. She had wished the night would never end, even if he did step on her toes a few times. Even now, sitting in a bright, almost depressingly bare lobby, Peggy couldn't wait for next time she could hold Steve in her arms and keep him close.

Peggy heard the elevator doors open on the other side of the lobby and watched as the bored receptionist perked up and became very interested in whoever was entering the office. She turned and saw the object of her daydreams smiling shyly at the receptionist for a brief moment before turning his full smile to her. He sat down next to her, resting his arm over her shoulder and kissing her cheek as he greeted her, and Peggy couldn't help but feel little smug as the receptionist glared at her.

"What are you doing here?"

Steve shrugged. "I'm not sure. I got a call this morning that Fury wanted to see me."

Peggy started to ask a question but was interrupted as the door to Fury's office opened and the man himself stepped out. "Agent Carter, Captain, please come in."

Peggy followed him into the room and sat down in front of a formidable and unbelievable desk. She was looking at it, lost in bewilderment when Fury spoke. "Thanks for coming see me today Agent Carter, Captain. How is everything going?"

"Things are well. Thank you sir." Peggy answered, Steve nodding in agreement.

Fury nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here today." Fury continued at Peggy's nod. "Well, our scientists think they've finally figured out how you managed to survive your ice nap along with the Captain here. He was easy." Fury looked at Steve. "The super serum in your blood allowed you to go into suspended animation and your cells regenerated until you woke up." Fury looked back at Peggy. "His cells continue to regenerate, making him, well super. You however, do not have super serum."

"No, sir." Peggy glanced at Steve and was relieved that he looked as confused as she felt.

"Our best guess is that because you were in the room when Captain Roger's procedure took place, you also received Vita Rays, almost to the same level as Cap, but not quite. I also understand that there was some, um… contact, between you and Captain Rogers before he crashed Schmidt's plane."

Peggy froze, and she had to fight the blush again, keeping her eyes straight as she nodded. "Yes, there was a… uh…a kiss… before…"

Steve shifted and cleared his throat, and Fury spoke before either of them got too uncomfortable. "Well its seems like that contact may have transferred some of the super serum. That, plus the Vita Rays, seemed to have helped keep your cells alive in the ice."

Peggy nodded stiffly, still trying to keep her eyes from gravitating to Steve as he finally spoke up. "So, does that mean she's like me? Does she have the serum then?"

Fury shook his head. "We're not sure. Based on the blood tests we've run, it doesn't seem like she has it. We're going to keep an eye on it as we go forward, but as far as SHIELD is concerned, you both are free and clear and good to go."

Peggy let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding and finally looked at Steve who looked similarly relieved. He spoke up before she could. "So, what now, sir? I mean, not that we haven't enjoyed the tasks we've done so far for you, but…" Steve looked at Peggy who nodded at Fury.

Fury looked at them for a long moment. Steve was just starting to get uncomfortable when Fury finally rose and pressed a button on his phone. "Colson, see if you can get Stark in here. Preferably sometime before noon."

The man on the phone answered that he would and Fury hung up the phone. He looked at Steve and Peggy as he pulled a file out of his desk drawer and asked, "Have either of you heard of the Avengers initiative?"

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! I hope you all are enjoying my new story! Sorry for the delay between chapters, I know its been a while since I updated! So to make up for that I wrote you a longggg chapter (for me anyways!) **

**As always, comments and suggestions are welcome. Let me know what you think and what you want to see! Thanks for reading! **

**-G**


	5. Chapter 5

Peggy watched as the other women in the gym hit punching bags and sparred with their partners. Although she was an accomplished fighter, Fury thought it might be useful for Peggy to learn some of the newer moves that people used. She was waiting for an Agent Hill to come and she was glad she had a few minutes to observe. Peggy thought back to when she had faced Dottie, that evil woman, and how intense of an encounter that had been, but she noticed that women fought a little differently now. It was faster, maybe a little less controlled and more risky. But it was effective, she watched as a blonde haired woman took down her partner, a man who was almost twice her size. Women also seemed to have more muscle. Peggy could almost admire how they sacrificed their trim figures for bulging shoulders and strong biceps, but she thought she might stay as she currently was.

She was marveling at some of the women's strength when she heard her name being called.

"Agent Carter? Hi I'm Maria Hill." Peggy turned as the woman introduced herself and shook her hand. Peggy smiled, instantly liking the woman. "Are you ready to get started?" Peggy nodded at Hill's question, and the got to work.

Twenty minutes later, Peggy was lying on her back on the mat, completely out of breath. She groaned as Hill said, "Come on, is that all you got?" and contemplated just lying there the rest of her life. Peggy closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath when she sensed someone standing over her. She was just getting ready to tell Hill to give her a minute when she heard an unexpected voice. "Do you need a hand?" Peggy opened her eyes to see a very handsome Captain America smiling down at her.

Steve took Peggy's hand and helped her up off the mat. Peggy smiled at him before she looked around and saw everyone in the gym watching them. She stretched her shoulders and looked back at Hill, nodding that she was ready to go. Steve took a few steps back to watch as the women approached each other once again.

Peggy wouldn't say that she was trying to show off for Steve, but she definitely felt a rush knowing he was watching her. She dodged a punch from Hill and snuck a blow to the agents abdomen and then took a second to look at Steve. She saw several beautiful women standing around him, trying to engage him in conversation and lost her focus for a second as jealousy filled her, allowing Hill to get a solid punch in across her jaw.

Embarrassed, Peggy held up her hands to stop Hill from advancing on her and then leaned over, rubbing her sore jaw. Steve smiled at Hill as he approached, and then crouched down in front of Peggy. "Are you alright?"

Peggy wiggled her jaw and took a second before answering. "Yes. I'll be fine." She looked up into Steve's eyes and lost her breath as their eyes locked. She saw his concern for her, and just behind it his passion and happiness, and she felt silly for being jealous. She smiled back at him as she tried to catch her breath again, which she realized was a hopeless cause with him standing so close. Deciding she needed a little space, Peggy started to straighten, and stopped when Steve cupped her cheek in his right hand. She watched as he slowly leaned in and kissed her jaw where she had been hit, and felt her knees go weak as he lingered, moving his lips down her jaw, getting closer and closer to her mouth. He kissed her chin and Peggy closed her eyes as she felt his lips feather over hers. She savored the brief contact, wanting it to continue when she heard someone clearing their throat behind her. Steve jumped guiltily away from her, as they both looked at Fury standing with Hill.

Peggy looked around and saw the women that had been trying to talk to Steve earlier glaring daggers at her, and she had to fight to keep a smug smile off her face. She saw Steve blush and smiled at him before turning her attention back to Fury.

"If you two are done, there's a briefing in ten. My office."

Hill and Fury walked and Steve and Peggy just smiled at each other. Steve spoke a few moments later, "I guess we better get ready for the briefing."

Peggy nodded and they went to walk out of the gym together. She smiled at one of the women from before as she walked past her, grinning as Steve took her hand.

* * *

**A/N: Ok guys, this was super short but I wanted to give you something since its been a while since I posted. I am moving this week, so between that, work and school I have been crazy busy. I will try to post something a little longer next week. **

**I am also looking for ideas for what's next. I need to re-watch The Avengers to get a sense of what happens, but I would also love to hear what you all think! **

**Thanks!**

**-G**

**P.S. For fans of my first story Just Be There, look out for a special one shot from that story line here in the next few weeks. That story just reached 17,000 views and I want to give you all a special treat!**


	6. Chapter 6

Peggy really thought that by now, after spending countless hours around Steve, she wouldn't be so affected by smooth, very nicely muscled arms. But sitting next to… well literally a god, she couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from his bulging muscles. The flowing blond hair didn't help either.

Fury had asked Steve and Peggy to join the Avengers initiative, which was an elite group of hero's that were pulled together on occasion to save the world. This time it was from some mad man, or god rather, named Loki. Peggy was on the team in more a support and logistics role, while Steve was obviously one of the good guys. They were currently in a team briefing with Fury, trying to decide what their next step would be now that they had Loki. Peggy heard Fury and Tony talking back and forth, but she couldn't for the life of focus on anything other than the glorious specimen sitting next to her.

Steve was listening as Fury told them about Loki, and how they needed to get the Tesseract back. Steve wasn't entirely sure who Loki was, and why he was important, but he understood that the Tesseract was something that they needed to get back. He was a little appalled when he heard Fury say that SHIELD wanted to use the Tesseract to create weapons to use against aliens. Steve knew firsthand the type of weapons that could be created with the Tesseract, and he didn't like the idea one bit.

He looked over at Peggy to see what her reaction to all of this was and saw her intensity staring at Thor, or more specifically, Thor's biceps. Steve reflexively flexed his own biceps as he felt a small flash of jealousy, before he leaned forward and placed his hand on Peggy's leg. She jumped and blushed as she turned to him and gave him a small, guilty smile. Steve glared at Thor for a minute, who seemed clueless to Peggy's interest, before he turned back to Peggy.

Fury dismissed them, and Steve stood, taking Peggy's hand and dragging her away from the group. He wanted to find a quiet place for them to talk without any distractions.

Peggy could sense that Steve was a little upset with her. As Steve pulled her through the strange, flying aircraft carrier, she thought of ways to change the subject once they were finally alone. But really, it wasn't her fault that Thor looked the way he did. Ok, it was maybe a little her fault that she couldn't stop looking at him.

Steve should have thought about the fact that they were on a ship, and it would therefore be hard to find somewhere quiet and private to talk. He finally settled on Peggy's room, and towed her in behind him. He went to shut the door and when he turned back, he suddenly found himself against the door as Peggy pushed him back and reached up to kiss him. He felt her press her lips against his and tried to resist for a moment, actually wanting to talk to her, before she changed the angle of the kiss and he felt her tongue brush his. Steve felt himself sink into the kiss and before he knew it, his hands were on her hips pulling her flush against him as their mouths ravaged the others and her hands sunk into his hair, holding him close.

Peggy had a brief thought that this maybe hadn't been the best idea, considering she was now increasingly reluctant to leave the room, or the moment for that matter, when the ship shuddered. They broke apart as the ship swayed and rocked. Steve looked at Peggy, a look she interpreted as "we will talk about this" before Steve turned and pulled open her door. They both sprinted out of the room and headed back to the control room, which was in utter chaos.

Peggy went to join Agent Hill, who had a nasty gash on her head, and quickly realized she had no idea what to do. She turned and watched Steve and Tony run off to try to get one of the engines back on line, and then turned back and mentally gritted her teeth. She tried to stay out of the way as Hill and the other agents tried to regain control of the ship. Peggy was watching and learning when one of the doors opened and several men walked into the room. They were dressed in all black and were carrying weapons, and quickly tried to take control of the room. Peggy leaned back into the shadows and walked quickly and quietly to get back behind the men. She picked up a pole that looked like it had fallen down in the explosion and raised it above her head.

Smashing the pole down on one of the men's heads, Peggy quickly turned to block a strike from one of the other mercenaries. She pushed back and had just enough time to swing the pole at the man's head before she had to turn and us her arms to block the third man's blows. The two of them tussled for a few minutes, and Peggy was just getting winded when the man crumpled to the ground having been knocked out by Agent Hill.

"Thanks."

Hill nodded and turned back to the control unit just as the engine came back on. The ship started ascending once again and Steve and Tony quickly ran back into the room. The three men who had tried to attack them were rounded up and taken away as word started coming in from other parts of the ship. Bruce had turned into the Hulk and had fallen out of the ship. Natasha had hit Clint so hard he came out of whatever trance he had been in and Loki was gone. They were all furious that he had gotten away, but the mood quickly turned somber when they learned Agent Coulson had died.

* * *

Peggy wasn't surprised when a knock fell on her door several hours later. After the news of Coulson's death had reached them, the group had quietly dispersed. Tony had gone back to the lab, Natasha had gone to see Clint and Steve had gone to his room. Peggy knew Steve's huge heart would be saddened by Coulson's death, especially since Coulson had been in such awe of Steve from the beginning. She opened the door to see a troubled Steve, standing there looking lost.

Steve felt relieved when Peggy opened the door, feeling more settled just from seeing her face. Everything fell into place when she smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into her room and closing the door behind him. Steve walked into Peggy's room and sat down on the bed. Peggy followed and sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?"

She had said it so quietly, Steve wasn't sure what she asked at first. He nodded and gave a quiet, "Yeah, I'll be alright," and then they just sat in silence for a few minutes. Peggy lifted her head off his shoulder after a while and turned to him, placing her hand on the back of his head. He looked at her and she gave him a small smile and pulled him in for a soft kiss. They kept the kiss light and comforting and they pulled back at the same time, content to just be near each other.

After a moment, Steve tried to lighten the mood. "So, what was with that earlier? You like Thor's arms, huh?"

Peggy blushed and lightly smacked Steve's arm. "No." Steve gave her a look of disbelief. "I mean, ok, he's got nice muscles. Not anything out of the ordinary."

"You were staring. I think I saw your drool."

"I was not!" Peggy tried to stand and was quickly pulled back down by Steve. They struggled for a minute, and Peggy ended up on her back with Steve hovering over her. They were both laughing when they realized the position they were in, and they both stopped, losing their breath at the closeness. Steve eased back and took a deep breath.

He tried to think of something other than what he was currently thinking about and noticed a small bruise on Peggy's cheek. He traced it with his thumb and was surprised when she told him she got it from fighting off the three men in the control room. "I forgot to ask how everything went today."

Peggy shrugged and shifted, settling more comfortably under Steve. "It was alright I guess. I felt a little lost for a moment, there when it first started. Usually, I know exactly what to do in emergencies, but with all this technology, I had no idea. To be perfectly honest, I'm not really sure what I'm doing here. I mean, you're a super soldier, Tony has the suit, Natasha is the best fighter I've ever seen, Bruce is a brilliant doctor not to mention a scary green monster and Clint has his bow thing. Even Agent Hill is an accomplished fighter and clearly a successful leader. That leaves me, a decent fighter with rusty skills at best and limited knowledge of today's technology."

Steve brushed Peggy's hair back off her forehead. "You are… you… you are the smartest person I've ever known." Peggy scoffed and tried to get out from under Steve. He stopped her by just settling on top of her. "No, listen. Sure, you don't know very much about all this new technology, but you will. I bet by the end of the week you'll be able to pilot this ship. And don't say your combat skills are rusty, you've been working out with Hill. So that argument is invalid. You deserve to be here, just as much as anyone else. So what you don't have super serum in your blood or a suit of armor on your body, you're a hero."

Peggy laughed derisively. "No, I'm not. I'm hero support."

"No-"

Peggy cut Steve off, placing her finger over his mouth. "I am here for you. I add minimal value to this team outside of my role in keeping you going. And I'm ok with that. I'm mostly just glad to be here, with you, and I want to help in any way that I can."

Steve looked at Peggy and smiled. "I need you. Here, with me." Peggy nodded and decided she had had enough of that conversation. She pulled Steve down and pressed her lips to his, pleased when the kiss caught fire like it always did.

They stayed like that, locked together and lost in the moment, losing sense of everything except the feel of the other. Steve was wrestling with himself, fighting to remain in control when there was a knock on Peggy's door and it opened, Hill rushing in.

Peggy and Steve jumped back from each other as quickly as they could, but with Steve lying on top of her, it took Peggy a good while to sit up. She looked down and straightened her blouse while Steve stood up and ran a hand through his messy hair, taking a few steps away.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't…" Hill trailed off while Steve and Peggy composed themselves.

Peggy, finally gathering her wits replied, "No, no it's fine. What did you need?"

Hill looked between the two of them and shrugging off her embarrassment, remembered the message she had been sent to relay. "Fury wants to see everyone."

* * *

**A/N: What happens next? I have no idea. Let me know what you think. As always, comments, ideas and suggestions are welcome. I own nothing. Literally. It's sad. **

**Thanks for reading. Happy Memorial Day everyone!**

**-G**


	7. Chapter 7

Standing on a decimated street in New York City, Peggy struggled to catch her breath as all the aliens in her vicinity dropped to the ground. She had been fighting alongside Steve and Thor for what felt like hours. Peggy couldn't remember ever feeling as scared and hopeless as she had while trying to fight off giant, armored aliens, and as she watched them drop, lifeless, to the ground around her she wanted to weep with joy.

She heard a noise behind and quickly turned, ready to fight when she saw Mr. Banner, or the Hulk as he preferred to be called in his current state, jumping off a building and grabbing a lifeless Tony as he fell to the ground. Steve grabbed her hand as he ran past, tugging her along as they raced to see Tony and Bruce. The Hulk had just torn Tony's mask off his face, and they were all watching, waiting to see Tony take a breath. Peggy jumped and placed a hand on her chest over her heart as the Hulk roared, but she resisted chastising him when she saw that Tony had been startled awake.

Peggy couldn't resist letting out a little laugh as Tony asked what had happened, and then started talking about going to get something called shawarma, and she let out a sigh of relief as she felt Steve's arm come around her shoulder. She rested her forehead against his shoulder and relaxed for the first time in what felt like days.

Later, after dealing with Loki, when they were sitting in a dirty and half-destroyed café eating shawarma, Peggy struggled to keep her eyes open. The shawarma was pretty good, she definitely hadn't even eaten anything like it, but she just wanted to curl up on the nearest flat, and clean, surface and sleep until she couldn't sleep anymore.

Steve looked over and saw Peggy falling asleep over her shawarma, and couldn't help the slow smile that crept over his face. He looked at his fellow Avengers as he wiped his hands and stood up. "I better get this one home before she falls asleep." Steve knew Peggy really was tired when she didn't even look embarrassed or try to deny being tired. He helped her up and wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her as Tony said, "There's room for you at the tower. Any room that's not destroyed, it's yours. Really." Steve nodded his thanks and started guiding Peggy around the rubble towards Stark Tower. She only made it two blocks before Steve swooped her up and carried her the rest of the way. It only took a block of him carrying her before she was asleep, so he didn't stop until Jarvis had found a room. Steve set her down on the bed, and she murmured something before she snuggled in, sound asleep once again.

Although he was physically exhausted, Steve found himself unable to settle down. He decided to shower and get the smell of battle off him before finding something to do.

He was just stepping out of the shower when he heard Peggy scream from the bedroom. Wrapping a towel around his waist he ran to the bedroom, and saw Peggy sitting up, breathing hard and looking scared.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Nothing. No. I was just…" Peggy trailed off as she looked over at Steve and realized he was wearing nothing but a towel. Every thought she'd ever had went flying out of her head as she stared at the magnificent body she had seen once before.

Steve was looking around trying to find whatever had caused Peggy's shouts. He looked back at her when she trailed off and saw her staring at his chest. He resisted the urge to flex and walked towards her, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her.

Brushing a piece of hair off her forehead, Steve asked, "Peggy, what's wrong?"

Feeling his fingers in her hair finally broke the spell that held Peggy and she finally looked up and met Steve's eyes. She felt herself get a little lost in his eyes before she collected herself. "Um, I had a dream. A nightmare really. I guess those aliens freaked me out more than I realized."

Steve smiled and brushed her hair back again. "You should try to back to sleep." He traced her cheek with his finger.

Peggy smiled and shook her head. "I'm awake now. I might as well make myself useful. Where is everyone?"

"I don't know. We came back before them. And I really don't think there's anything left for us to. We did save the day after all."

Peggy nodded, momentarily distracted by Steve's chest again before she shifted. "I think I'm going to clean up then, and maybe after that I'll feel like going back to bed." Steve stood and started walking out of the room.

"I'll be in the living room if you need anything." Steve closed the door behind himself as Peggy sat on the side of the bed.

She couldn't quite hold back to sigh as she looked at the closed door, and grinned like a school girl when she thought about him. He was such a… hero. And he was all hers. At least, she thought he was. Peggy's brow furrowed as she thought that over while she walked to the bathroom. They hadn't actually talked that much about their relationship. Ever since they had woken up together in a new millennium they had spent a lot of time together, and Peggy had thought that meant they were… together. Especially with all the kissing, but… no…

As she stepped under the spray of hot water, Peggy decided it was time to make sure he was hers. After the day she had had, the day they had had, it was time for… more. More what, she wasn't entirely sure, but if nothing else, they could figure that out together. She stepped out of the shower and decided she felt a million times better. She dried herself and then realized that she didn't have any clothes, save the dirty, filthy torn ones from before. Luckily, Peggy found a bathrobe behind the door, and put that on before she went to find Steve.

She found him in front of the tv, watching the news about the day's events. Peggy walked in in time to see a clip of herself fighting off a big, scary alien before Steve jumped in and finished him off.

"Were they really that big? The seemed smaller in person."

Steve turned, startled as Peggy spoke. She saw that he still only had his towel on, clearly encountering the same problem she had. He smiled shyly at her as she went to sit down next to him. "They were big. But look at you." They both turned to the tv to watch a different clip of her. "See, I told you you were supposed to be on the team."

Peggy rolled her eyes as she turned back to him and noticed for first time a gash in his side. "Steve! You're bleeding!"

Steve lifted his arm and looked at the spot, shrugging. "Oh."

"Oh?" Peggy gawked at Steve and watched as blood slowly seeped out. "Get up, get off this nice furniture." She hustled him into the kitchen where she found a wash cloth and, after a quick search, a first aid kit.

"Peggy, its' fine, really."

Steve kept any further comments to himself as Peggy glared at him before cleaning his wound. He stood there, silently watching her concentrate on his side, cleaning it before rubbing some cream on it. He was having trouble concentrating on anything other than her soft hands on his body. She leaned in closer as she put some bandages on and he got a whiff of her hair, her soft and clean hair. He closed his eyes, trying to stay still as she tended to him.

Peggy finished bandaging Steve's wound. As she double checked it, she realized how soft and warm his skin was. She couldn't help but run her fingers over his body, feeling his strength in every ridge and plane, every taught muscle. Peggy looked up at Steve's face and saw he had his eyes closed. Looking at him she knew, she knew she wanted this man for the rest of her life, but more importantly, she wanted this man now. Still running her fingers over his skin, she said his name.

Steve opened his eyes as he heard Peggy say his name and looked down into her mesmerizing, chocolate eyes. In them he saw his desires, wishes and dreams looking right back at him, and his mind was blank except for thoughts of her as he leaned down to press his lips to hers.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long break guys! Life has been going non-stop since May. **

**Let me know what you think of this new chapter! I was really stuck on it for a while, but I like how it worked out. What do you want to see next? **

**Thanks, as always, for reading! I'm off to get a Harry Potter tattoo. **

**-G**


	8. Chapter 8

As she began to wake up and her senses kicked in, her body loosening up from a long night of sleep, Peggy took stock of her surroundings the best she could without opening her eyes. Her body was sore from taking on the aliens, but that wasn't unexpected. What was unexpected was the warm weight she felt over her middle, and warmth that enveloped her back from head to toe. She shifted as if to roll over, and hit a barrier, a warm, solid barrier, of soft, supple skin. As all of Peggy's senses leapt to attention, she was taken back to the night before when she and Steve had…

She couldn't stop the blush, even as she grinned. Feeling Steve warm and solid, wrapped around her made her realize the night before hadn't been a dream, but a very real and wonderful connection. Peggy slowly shifted so she could look at Steve, his face lax with sleep. She admired his good looks for a few minutes, tempted to wake him up, but they hadn't gotten to sleep until late, very late actually, and he looked more at peace than she had seen him in a long time.

Using her skills acquired over the years, Peggy gently shifted until she could get out of the bed without waking Steve up. After a quick scan of the bedroom, she realized her robe was still in the kitchen where Steve had taken it off of her. Walking out into the kitchen her eyes were searching the floor for the robe when she heard a noise. Peggy looked up and felt like jumping out of her skin as she saw Tony standing in the kitchen at the toaster. They both froze, not really sure of what to do before Peggy tried to cover herself and Tony slapped his hands over his eyes.

They both stuttered and apologized and Peggy was sure she was beet red before she finally found the robe and put it on.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry. This is the only kitchen that's still working and-" Tony stammered.

"Oh for heaven's sake, I'm dressed. You can drop your hand now." Peggy huffed out, impatiently.

Tony slowly dropped his hand, a finger at a time, and took a deep breath as he saw she had managed to get the robe on. He tried to apologize and she just put her hand up, stopping whatever he was going to say.

"Let's just never speak of this again." Peggy said, taking a deep breath and tying the belt of her robe more securely around herself.

Tony thought that over for a minute before nodding stiffly, and then he turned back to the coffee pot. "Coffee?"

"That would be lovely. Thank you."

Tony nodded and poured her a cup. He took it over to her and very gently handed it over, before going back to get himself a cup. He turned toward her, but leaned on the counter, leaving the whole kitchen between the two of them.

Peggy took a sip out of her cup and enjoyed the strong taste. She watched Tony do the same, and then they both just sat.

Tony watched Peggy watch him, and he wasn't sure what he should feel. Before she had gone missing all those years ago, she had been his father's closest friend. Well, the closest thing his father had to a friend, anyways. He felt guilty when she was around; he knew she expected him to ask questions about his father, and about their friendship, but Tony just didn't want to know. He was broken out of his reverie when Peggy said, "It doesn't have to be awkward, you know."

Tony scoffed. "Awkward. You don't really know me, but awkward is not a word often used to describe me."

Peggy watched at Tony rolled his eyes, before he gifted her with a wonderful, mischievous smile that made her heart twinge, for just a moment. She saw the look Tony gave her when he realized he had reminded her of his father, and she took a moment, looking down at her coffee before speaking.

"You're right, awkward is the wrong word. I can see that you are uncomfortable with me though, and I'm just curious as to why."

"I'm not uncomfort-"

"Don't lie to me. I knew your father very well, and while I suspect you have done a lot to try and distance yourself from him, don't pretend that you aren't his spitting image. I don't know what happened between the two of you, for you to have this… animosity toward him, but I see him in you, and I can tell that that makes you uncomfortable. I just want to know why."

Tony crossed his arms and glared at Peggy. He held that stance for a few moments before he realized his look had no effect on her; she just sat there, looking back at him.

"I don't want to know about him, ok. I don't want to hear stories about how the two of kicked ass and saved the day, or went on adventures or whatever." Tony paused to take a breath and heard Peggy mutter under her breath what sounded like, "Well I did all of the saving of the day but-."

"But what I really don't want to know is what you were to each other. I don't like a lot of people, but I really like the Captain, he's a standup guy. So, I don't want to know what kind of 'friends' you were, or how 'friendly' you were after Steve-"

Tony stopped as Peggy stood abruptly. "How dare you? You really think so lowly of me, of your father, that you would assume I would…" Peggy wrapped her robes belt around her tighter before crossing her arms in front of her. "I will only say this once, not that it is any of your business, but nothing of an… illicit nature ever happened between Howard and I. Because for as much of a hound as he was, he knew I was in love with Steve, even before I did, and he never even tried. The time we spent together… was him helping me grieve when I thought I had lost the love of my life. And he was my friend, one of my best friends, and I wouldn't be here without him."

Peggy turned as she heard Steve step out of the bedroom. The look on his face told her he had heard everything, and she bit her lip as she tried to keep tears from falling.

Steve looked at Tony. "I think you should leave now. We can talk later."

Tony nodded and walked out, softly closing the door behind him.

Peggy waited until she heard the door close before she looked at Steve. She wiped away the few tears that had fallen. "Steve-"

Steve cut her off with his lips, pulling her close and holding her to the kiss for a few minutes. He felt her relax against him, and he eased back, brushing her hair back and holding her face up to his. Steve shook his head at her as she started to speak again, and just held her close, watching her.

"I love you. You know that?" Peggy nodded at his question. "I wouldn't care, if something had happened-"

"Steve nothing did. I promise-"

"I believe you, but Peggy, I was gone, dead for all you knew. You had a right to move on."

As she stood wrapped up in his arms, his heart beating steadily against hers, looking into his beautiful blue eyes, Peggy just shook her head, unable to find the right words.

"Peggy?"

She shook her head again and pulled him down, pressing her lips to his. He let her control the kiss for a few moments, before he pulled back to look at her again. He smiled before he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Thank you."

He heard the responding whisper is his own ear. "For what?"

"For waiting for me. For finding me. For loving me. But mostly, just for being you, the love of my life."

He pulled back once more, and grinned in response to the glowing smile on her face. Peggy ran her fingers through his hair, cupping his face as she said, "I would do it all over again, just to be here with you now."

They leaned in, both closing their eyes as their lips met gently. The kiss quickly caught fire and Steve felt Peggy press herself against him as she ran her hands over his chest. He grabbed her hands as she tugged at the pants he had found in the closet and pulled back, laughing.

"Wait, wait. No, stop."

Peggy lifted her brow at him as he kept her hands from undressing him.

Steve laughed again. "Just wait a second. I wanted to ask you something, before we… do this again."

She laughed, quickly and impatiently. "What then?"

Steve felt time slow. He heard his heart hammering in his chest as he looked at Peggy, knowing that her response to his question had the power to crush or elate him. Looking at her, slightly amused and otherwise amorous, he knew that whatever was next for him, he needed her there.

Peggy began to feel a little wary as Steve just looked at her, and she was trying to figure out what to do when he spoke, catching her off guard and taking her breath away.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

**A/N: Um… So… Yeah. **

**Anyone else really excited for Agent Carter Season Two? That needs to hurry up and get here. **

**As always, let me know what you think. Comments are welcomed, appreciated, and scrutinized for grammar and spelling. But really, leave me a message. I like them! **

**As always, always, I own nothing. I am still having a heck of a lot of fun though. I have a pretty interesting twist up ahead that I am planning (no deaths or anything like that), so you might want to stay tuned. But yeah, I actually have an idea of where we are going next. **

**Ok, that is all. **

**-G**


	9. Chapter 9

Previously:

Peggy began to feel a little wary as Steve just looked at her, and she was trying to figure out what to do when he spoke, catching her off guard and taking her breath away.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

As Peggy walked down the street, arms full of shopping bags, a flash of white caught her eye. She stopped in front of a store and looked at the dress in the display. She smiled wistfully as admired the wide, white skirt of the wedding dress, and her smile grew bigger as she looked down at the beautiful ring on her left hand. She looked back at the dress, admiring the beauty of the beaded bodice when she heard her name. She turned and saw Steve walking toward her.

He had proposed three weeks ago, and Peggy thought that she'd never been happier. Things around New York were still kind of weird, and there was a lot of clean up left to do, but Peggy found herself enjoying the 21st century more and more every day. Now as she watched Steve walk up to her, there wasn't anywhere else she wanted to be. He stopped in front of her and bent down for a kiss before putting his arm around her and pulling her with him to the street where he hailed a cab.

"Where are we going?"

Steve shook his head as he smiled at her. "It's a surprise."

"Steve, what about-"

"I called Fury, he'll call if he needs us. Come on, we've managed to go all day without work coming up, don't ruin it now."

Peggy elbowed him in the ribs before wrapping her arm around his waist. "I was actually talking about the sale at Macy's, but I guess I'll take a surprise."

Steve laughed as he helped her into the cab before it pulled away.

* * *

Peggy wasn't sure she had ever laughed this much. They were still in the cab, on their way to Peggy didn't know where after dropping her bags off at her apartment, and Steve was teasing and tickling her mercilessly. She was laughing so hard she was breathless when she asked, "What has gotten into you today?" Steve laughed with her and kissed her briefly before he pulled back, eye shining.

"I'm just happy."

It was Peggy's turn to smile, and she pulled him down for a kiss, forgetting for a minute that they were in a cab on a busy New York street. It was a few minutes later when they pulled apart, startled by the cab driver clearing his throat. Peggy blushed and Steve grinned as the driver told them they were there.

Peggy looked out the window and saw what looked like a small amusement park. She looked back at Steve, arching her eyebrow with her question, and Steve just grinned back as he paid the driver. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the cab.

"Welcome to Coney Island!"

* * *

Later that night as they stumbled, exhausted, into her apartment, Peggy found herself wishing that she could experience more days like the one they had just had. It had been perfect, absolutely perfect. Steve had dragged her around Coney Island with an enthusiasm she had only ever seen briefly, and as she kicked off her shoes, she realized how much her face hurt from smiling all day.

They dropped down onto the couch, both breathing sighs of relief as they finally got off their feet. Peggy felt Steve shift, and she snuggled into his side as his arm came around her. Her stomach hurt from a combination of carnival food, spinning rides, and laughter, but as she sat in the quiet with Steve, she felt everything settle into place. She closed her eyes and was just starting to drift off when she felt Steve's lips touch her hair.

Peggy lifted her face to him and smiled through the kiss he gently placed on her lips. When he pulled back, she smiled at him before putting her head back on his shoulder. She was mildly surprised when he asked, "So when do you want to get married?"

"Hmmmm. I don't know. Soon, I think."

"How soon? Because it's been three weeks, and we haven't really talked about it yet."

"Do you want to talk about it now?" Peggy asked, lifting her head off his shoulder to look at him.

"I want to be married already, but yeah let's talk about it."

Peggy smiled at his words, and leaned over to get a pad of paper and a pen. "Alright. Who should we invite?"

"The team definitely. And any significant others, so Pepper and Jane, maybe."

Peggy nodded as she wrote. "Where do you want to have it?"

"Anywhere that can do it soon."

She paused in her writing. "Well, do you want it inside or outside? In a church maybe, although neither of us is terribly religious. Do you want to invite people from SHIELD? What about Fury? And-"

Steve cut Peggy off in his favorite way by pressing his lips to hers. He held the kiss for a minute, pulling her close and framing her face in his hands before he pulled back. "The only person I need there is you. And I don't care where it is, as long as you're my wife at the end of the day."

Peggy smiled and then rolled her eyes, pushing him away. "Well, for that to happen we need to decide these things."

Steve groaned and leaned back into the couch. "Can't we just go to the Court House or something? Make it quick?"

Peggy lifted her brow at him. "The wedding won't be the only thing that's quick if you have that attitude."

Steve's laughter barked out, surprised at her response. "Ok, ok. Fine. What if we do it at one of Tony's places? We invite the team and whoever from SHIELD we can think of, and just go all out."

Peggy smiled. "Ask him about it and we'll go from there."

Steve smiled and kissed her before he jumped up off the couch. He went to grab the phone to call Tony while the idea was still fresh, and wandered out of the room while he dialed.

As soon as Steve left the room, Peggy's smile slowly slid off her face. She enjoyed Steve's enthusiasm, but as she thought about the estates Tony likely owned, one in particular came to mind. It was a place that she had spent considerable time at, and though she had fond memories of the time and the… people… she hoped it was no longer in the Stark family.

* * *

**A/N: Hi guys! Sorry this has taken me so long! Here is a little something for you. I ended it in kind of a weird place, but I think it will lend itself nicely into the next chapter, and I'm about to get off work so there's that. ******I'm also just tired of looking at this chapter and would rather move on. ** Let me know what you think and what you would like to see next!  
**

**-G**


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